Sunderland striker Darren Bent has warned they need to be stronger defensively if they are to end their current Premier League struggle. Sunderland have not won a league game since November 21 when they beat Arsenal - their next opponents on February 20 - on a famous day at the Stadium of Light.

Their last 12 outings have yielded just six points from a possible 36 and included only one clean sheet, and Bent knows they have to defend better from front to back if they are to halt their slide.

The 26 year old said: "We have got to address our issues on the pitch. We are far too open at the moment and I think it's a problem.

"We are not defending well as a team and if we want to start kicking on and pushing up the league, we need to defend better as a team.

"It's not just on defenders and midfielders, it's on the whole team.

"Strikers need to communicate better with the midfielders and defenders, as well as the goalkeeper.

"It's a thin line at the moment."